Series: Zandian Brides Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57939 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
I cradle Sia in my lap, unwilling to even set her down. I apply healing patches to the wound on her leg, which–thank veck–seems superficial. I give her fluid.
“Daven.” Her forehead wrinkles with concern. She searches my face.
“Shh, little human. You’re safe. We’re headed back to Zandia. Your home.”
She relaxes in my arms, leaning her head against my shoulder.
“What happened back there, Sia?”
She blinks, then she gives me a small smile. “I did it. I did what I came to do.”
“Which was what?” I wipe her brow, removing flecks of blood and sweat. “Why would you go to Larew? This is where you were enslaved. What were you thinking?”
“I got information from my chip, Daven. I remembered how to undo the whole Alpha project! And I did it.”
Mirelle had told me as much, but I like hearing it from Sia. Seeing my brave little mate’s pride. “How, my sweet female?”
“I deactivated all of us Alpha Project slaves, and our chips are completely inactive now. We’re safe, and so is Zandia. We won’t bring harm to you, not ever.”
I clutch her to my chest. “Why didn’t you tell us that you could do that?”
“I only figured it out this planet rotation. When I was in the cell, I remembered. I knew you’d never believe me. Nor would Seke. Nor the king. Not after I lied about so much for so long.”
She’s not wrong. Anything she said after she was imprisoned would have been taken with severe suspicion. And they’d have sacrificed some or all of the humans, probably, instead of trying to deactivate them, especially if Marx had anything to say about it.
She explains to me how she remembered all of the information from the chip and how she drew out layouts and codes for Mirelle and convinced Mirelle to fly her to Larew. How Mirelle approved the plan because she felt it was right in her gut, and her gut is never wrong.
She adds, “And then the one human capable of helping me happened to visit me in my cell. I explained the situation to Mirelle, and she was willing to fly me to Larew. Please don’t punish her. It was all my idea. I know it seems crazy, but I had a plan. I was going to eliminate myself if there was any chance they’d catch me.”
My heart pounds, and I can’t speak. My sweet human planned to eliminate herself. I could have lost her–not just to the Ocretions but by her own choosing.
The idea slays me.
“I would have tossed myself in that pit rather than let him get the chip. I wouldn’t let them get it or me if there was any chance that there was information about Zandia on it.”
Veck.
“I saw that.” There’s a tremor in my voice. Now I understand what it means to be changed by a human. To feel emotions. To love. “I’m glad you didn’t,” I choke. The words completely fail to communicate the depth of the horror I felt when I thought I’d lose her forever.
She continues, “And I have his remote device. Your engineers can study it to learn more about what they’ve created.” She’s still clutching something in her hand, and she gives it to me. It’s slick with blood and sweat, so I take it and hand it to Axe; let him deal with it.
“They’ll rebuild, better and stronger, but at least you’ll know what they’re doing. We can stay a step ahead. Or you can,” she falters.
I take her face in my hands. “We can.”
“Am I going back to prison? Or…will I be sent away?”
“No,” I say. “That won’t happen.”
It’s not my place to make such a promise, but I will die before I allow any being to harm Sia. If King Zander sends her away, I will go, too. And she’s definitely not going to be dissected, that much is for sure.
“Daven, I’m so sorry for everything. For the lies. That I didn’t tell you about the chip from the beginning. I hope you understand that I felt I had no choice. I felt like if I told you, I’d die. But I made it right. I deactivated them all, so we can’t harm you. Even if your king decides to… get rid of us,” she shudders, “at least I fixed my mistake.”
I run my knuckles down her cheek. Kiss her dark hair. “You did, sweet human. I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have believed you would betray us. I felt you wouldn’t, but the enormity of what you revealed punched me in the gut.”
She reaches up and touches my face, her small palm curving around my cheek. “It happened before to you,” she says softly. “I know that. I never wanted to hurt you like that again, but I know I did. I shared with you everything I felt I could and still stay alive. It was a horrible line to walk.”